Officials in El Dorado, Calif., announced this week that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the bacterium that caused the Black Plague. This comes after public health officials in Arizona confirmed a plague death there last month.
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Plague is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium and it can manifest as pneumonic plague, bubonic plague and septicemic plague, per the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the Middle ages, plague killed millions of people in Europe amid a pandemic called the Black Plague.
Today plague is a “rare but persistent cause of illness in rural areas in the western United States and certain regions of Africa and Asia,” the centers said. El Dorado County acting Director of Public Health Kyle Fliflet said plague is naturally occurring in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of the county. To mitigate potential human cases, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) routinely monitors rodent populations for plague activity in the state.
Typically, plague is transmitted by the bites of fleas that acquire the bacteria from squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents, though domestic dogs and cats may also carry infected fleas and should be kept away from wild rodent burrows. From 2021 through last year, a total of 41 rodents in El Dorado County with evidence of exposure to the bacterium were found and four have been found from the start of this year through Tuesday, all in the Tahoe basin.
Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, located on the border of California and Nevada. South Lake Tahoe is a city along the southern portion of the lake, and is the largest in El Dorado County. This area is a popular tourist destination, with the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority reporting that domestic and International visitors using Visa cards in Lake Tahoe spent a total of $47.6 million while in-market during June of this year alone.
According to the Chief Administrative Office of El Dorado County, the Lake Tahoe-area individual who has tested positive for plague (per the CDPH) is currently under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at their home. At this time, officials believe the person may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. Health officials are investigating.
“It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present,” Fliflet said. Symptoms of plague usually show up within two weeks of exposure, said El Dorado County officials. These symptoms can include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes.
If detected early, plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics. However, it can be dangerous if untreated in humans.
“Prior to the current case, the most recently reported case of human plague in El Dorado County was in 2020, likely exposed in the South Lake Tahoe area,” said the county. “Two people were reported with plague in 2015 after having been exposed to infected rodents or their fleas in Yosemite National Park. All individuals were treated and recovered. Those were the first reported human cases in the state since 2006.”
Audacy reported last month that public health officials in Coconino County, Ariz., confirmed that a human there died from pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection caused by Yersinia pestis. Beyond California, plague is endemic to the Southwestern U.S. and the Coconino County health department also maintains a surveillance system for it. Another plague death was reported there in 2007. Plague is not often transmitted from human to human, though it can sometimes spread through respiratory droplets.
Regarding the Lake Tahoe case, El Dorado County said that state and local health officials will continue to monitor the situation and any plague-prone areas.
“To report a sick or dead rodent, please contact El Dorado County Environmental Management at (530) 573-3450. For more information about plague, visit the CDPH website at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/progras/cid/dcdc/pages/plague.aspx,” said the county.
It also provided these tips for preventing plague
· Pay attention to warning signs
· Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents
· Never touch sick, injured or dead rodents
· Do not camp, sleep or rest near animal burrows or anywhere where dead rodents have been seen
· Wear long pants tucked into boot tops and spray insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to protect from fleas
· Consult a physician and tell them you may have been exposed to plague if you get sick after being in an area where plague is known to occur
· Leave pets at home if possible or keep them on a leash and protect them with pest control products
· Do not allow your pets to play with or pick up sick, injured or dead rodents (cats are especially vulnerable)
· Contact a veterinarian immediately if cats become sick after contact with rodents